Moderna’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine likely to reach India this week: Reports

US giant drug maker Moderna’s COVID-19 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine is likely to reach India this week, reported news agency ANI on Monday citing sources.

Moderna’s vaccine is the fourth COVID-19 jab to be available in India after Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik. The vaccines will be distributed among government hospitals across the country.

“On behalf of COVAX, Gavi is working closely with the US government and other partners to operationalise dose donations and get doses delivered as quickly as possible so that countries can continue to protect their most at-risk groups. More information on volumes and timelines will follow in due course,” said a spokesperson of GAVI Alliance on delivery of Moderna to India.

The GAVI Alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) is a global health partnership of public and private sector organizations dedicated to “immunisation for all”. It provides a unique opportunity for a wide range of partners to build consensus around policies, strategies, and priorities and to recommend responsibility of the implementation to the partner with the most experience and insight in the area. GAVI has developed innovative approaches to international health and development.

Recently, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted permission to Cipla company to import donated doses of Moderna from the US. These doses will be given to the central government and will be available in selected hospitals of the country, where vaccines can be stored easily.

Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday informed that more than 36.97 crore (36,97,70,980) vaccine doses have been provided to states and union territories so far, through all sources. Of this, the total consumption including wastages is 34,95,74,408 doses as per data available at 8 am today.

More than 2.01 crore (2,01,96,572) balance and unutilized COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and union territories and private hospitals.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the government of India has been supporting the states and union territories by providing them vaccines free of cost.